Trent Alexander-Arnold's Champions League debut for Real Madrid was cut very short on Thursday after the England full-back was forced off after just three minutes.
The ex-Liverpool defender hobbled off just moments into his first European night for the Spanish giants with what appeared to be a hamstring injury against Marseille at the Bernabeu.
The 26-year-old felt his left hamstring go after playing a routine pass with nobody near him. He immediately kicked the ball away and dropped to the ground, signalling for medical attention.
After treatment on the pitch, it became clear he couldn't continue. Alexander-Arnold limped off and headed straight down the tunnel, replaced by Dani Carvajal.
Trent Alexander-Arnold's Champions League debut for Real Madrid turned into a nightmare within minutes
|GETTY
His time at Real Madrid has been far from smooth since his summer move.
The England international has only started two of Real's four La Liga matches this season, with manager Xabi Alonso preferring to rotate between him and Carvajal.
Even when he has started, Alexander-Arnold has not completed a full 90 minutes on the pitch.
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It has been a difficult start to life in Madrid for Trent Alexander-Arnold
|GETTY
Competition for Real's right-back berth has been intense, with Alonso praising Carvajal's leadership and describing him as "fundamental" to the team.
The injury couldn't have come at a worse time for his England chances.
Thomas Tuchel had already left him out of the recent World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia, opting for Reece James and Tino Livramento instead.
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The German called it a "tighter, more competitive" squad decision. While Tuchel acknowledged being "a big fan" of Alexander-Arnold and said he was "always in the mix," the defender now faces missing out on the October and November international breaks.
With competition fierce for England's right-back spots, this latest setback makes it even harder for Alexander-Arnold to force his way back into Tuchel's plans.
Alexander-Arnold now faces a race to be fit for Real Madrid's Champions League trip to his former home ground on November 4.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold is forced off with an injury just minutes into the match against Marseille.
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Wishing him a speedy recovery 🙌
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It would have been his first return to his former club since leaving Liverpool at the end of last season.
Both teams are fighting to qualify automatically for the knockout stages, with Liverpool having topped the league phase last year.
The match is fewer than two months away, but hamstring injuries typically require several weeks of recovery.
For now, while the seriousness of the injury is unknown, it represents another setback in what has been a difficult start to life in the Spanish capital.
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